Surviving the Dark

Chapter 30 - Repeating (Flashback)

               

Jamie guided me to the edge of the lake and sat down. He tugged on my hand and I half fell, half sat down next to him. His arm came down around my shoulders. I had stopped sobbing by now, but the tears still flowed down my face. Liv came to sit beside me and hesitantly placed a hand on my thigh.

I know this was meant to calm me down and be comforting but it was doing anything but. My brother was gone. We should be out there looking for him, should be doing something. Anything.

I make a move to get up, but Jamie's arm around my shoulders keeps me beside him. His other hand coming to move my hair from my face.

"Jamie. Stop, we need to do something."

His hand didn't move from my hair, instead now smoothing it out and playing with it like my dad used to do when I was scared.

"Izzie. I know you are worried. We are too." I looked to Liv, who nodded in agreement. "But you wont be much good in the state of mind you are in now. So please just sit here for a little bit and breathe."

I sigh and turn to look out at the waterfall.

********~Flashback~********

I wake up with a fright. I blink a few times, as I do I register the screaming coming from the other room. Quickly I rush out of bed and into Thea's room. Axel already there trying to calm her down, but not having much luck.

"Thea, what's wrong? Why are you screaming?" I ask, slowly moving towards the bed. Axel has moved to the foot of the bed, giving up and letting me try.

I am close enough now to see the tears falling down my sisters face.

"Th-they're c-c-coming f-for u-us." Her bottom lip quivering as she takes jiggered breaths.

"Who is?"

"Th-the B-Black E-Eyes."

By now I've reached the bed. I sit on the edge of the bed and take a now hysterical Thea in my arms. I look over to Axel and see the fear in his eyes too.

"How about you both come stay with me tonight?"

Axel simply nods, I don't give Thea a chance to reply as I pick her up and walk back to my room.

I had a double bed so there was plenty of space for the three of us. I awkwardly climbed back into bed, Thea still in my arms. Axel climbed in on the other side.

"You're both scared of the Black Eyes?" Both Thea and Axel snuggled closer to me and I took that as my answer. I was sitting up against the head board of my bed but slid down slightly so Thea was laying down on my stomach.

"I am too. But as dad said, we can't let them ruin our lives. We just need to trust that mum and dad know what to do if they come."

The arm that wasn't around Thea, I moved to hug Axel. I then started playing with their hair. It was something our family would do to calm each other down. I began to tell them a story. It wasn't very good because I was making one up on the spot but it seemed to work and soon enough both of them were fast asleep.

"You know for an older sister, you are really good to them." I jump slightly and Thea stirs at my movement.

"Dad?" I whisper, not wanting to wake my siblings.

"Hey kiddo." Dad whispers back. He comes to sit beside me, leaning against my headboard. "Why are they here?"

"I woke up to Thea screaming. When I went to check on her Axel was already there." I look to the sleeping faces of my brother and sister, visible from the moonlight from my window. "Their scared dad."